Learning Computer Science Through Robotics

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to describe how we are integrating in our undergraduate curriculum a variety of projects in robotics and describe, in particular, an undergraduate project that culminated at the robot competition at the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence in August 1995. This is part of a large effort aimed at exposing undergraduate students to a variety of projects in robotics, computer vision, and 3D modeling. We have chosen these topics as the sources of projects because of their interdisciplinary nature and because they provide a wide variety of problems where system integration, communication, and cooperation are important. This effort is intended to: motivate the study of advanced applied mathematics by demonstrating its importance to solving real world problems; teach students how to build complete systems (as opposed to write isolated programs; allow them to experiment with the object oriented programming paradigms they learn in class for a variety of complex problems; expose students to application areas (Virtual Reality, 3D modeling for manufacturing, graphical interfaces, real time operating systems, etc. ) where new opportunities for employment or product development might exist; provide hands-on experience with distributed systems and with fundamental issues in communication and real-time control; familiarize the students with hardware interfaces, low level input/output, device drivers, and basic electronics, with hands-on experience; show students how to develop their own independent projects; foster development of leadership skills among students in project teams. Robotics, including computer vision, graphics, and 3D modeling have been selected as application areas because of their interdisciplinary nature and because they provide a wide variety of problems where system integration, communication, and cooperation are important. We have had positive experience over the years with a number of undergraduates working in Robotics and we have observed how it becomes much easier for them to assimilate their course knowledge around projects.